As at the time old Imo State was created in 1976, Owerri, though among other tribes from the present Abia and Ebonyi States, was no push-over in the comity of Clans.
Infact, that Owerri town was made the State Capital despite Umuahia, Aba,Afikpo, Okigwe, Orlu etc speaks volume.
When President Ibrahim Babangadi lifted the ban on politics, it was an Owerri son, then Chief, later Senator Evan Enwerem, from Atta in Ikeduru LGA that became the next Civilian Governor of the new Imo State after Abia and Ebonyi States had been carved out of Owerri.
The Minister then was also an Owerri son; Chief ID Nwoga, after serving as Secretary to the State Government. Then there was this mutual suspicion that Owerri was going to dominate the affairs of Imo politics.
This because of the belief that Owerri already was “developed” due to the plethora of educated technocrats and astute scholars brimming in the zone. This phobia gave birth then to the popular song that “Obodo nile emepelaa, Ofozie Okigwe na Orlu” translated, all towns have developed remaining Okigwe and Orlu. This lingo was indirectly being directed at Owerri people by their cousins from Orlu and Okigwe.
Therefore, in the spirit of accommodation and also to give Orlu and Okigwe sense of belonging in the Imo project, Owerri clan decided to tarry awhile in its rapid domination of Imo politics and development.
This was a voluntary action by Owerri to allow its cousins Okigwe and Orlu to measure up so as not to be riddled with inferiority complex, which will not extract total commitment from the Okigwe and Orlu axis to the concerted development of Imo State by all the zone, a venture which had already been spear-headed by their Owerri brothers, due to their earlier exposure to socio-political revarage accasioned by British education.
Therefore, to assuage this Orlu and Okigwe fears, the Owerri man, Bar Humphery Anumudu was emplored to concede his victory to an Orlu man, Chief Achike Udenwa, during the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governorship primaries in 1998.
Among those who initiated this trend to accommodate others were Chief ID Nwoga, Dr Basil Nnanna Ukaegbu, and others who were all great sons of Owerri zone. They took this altruistic decision even though their own “brother and son” Humphery Anumudu, from Mbieri, Mbaitoli LGA, in Owerri zone was set to clinch the PDP Governorship ticket.
Unfortunately for Owerri zone, since that singular patriotic act to bring others together, the zone has literally ended up handing over the cup to Monkey, but how to retrieve the cup has become a herculean task since 1999 election.
Why I am using this analogy? Well, since sixteen years democracy was returned to Nigeria, an Owerri man is yet to be Governor of Imo State. Apart from the Eighteen months Evan Enwerem spent before his tenure was truncated by the Abacha Junta, Owerri zone has never produced another Governor.
But since then, Orlu zone under Achike Udenwa of PDP has spent Eight uninterrupted years. After Udenwa, Okigwe zone insisted that it must be its turn before it goes back to Owerri.
Owerri in its political maturity and peaceful disposition saw no reason denying Okigwe man the position. Believing that after Okigwe it would now be reasonably resolved by other zones that Owerri had shown enough patient and maturity in supporting others.
Hence, in 2007, Owerri zone supported Chief Ikedi Ohakim from Okohia in Isiala Mbano LGA in Okigwe political zone.
Owerri was shell-shocked when it discovered that after one term in office, Okigwe wanted to continue in office.
This prompted Owerri to inform Okigwe that if the four years spent by Dee Sam Mbakwe is added to the four years candidate of the party. Okorocha is from Ogboko in Ideato South LGA, in Orlu Zone.
Okorocha’s emergence became a “game changer”. The Orlu people who had endured under Ohakim from Okigwe zone, after having enjoyed power for eight years under their brother Udenwa salivated for a return to Douglas House and continue the good time, since it was natural they could not have had unfettered privileges like in the Udenwa time.
The situation contributed to Ohakim and the PDP losing the 2011 election. It is an open secret that most Orlu PDP card- carrying members preferred voting for their brother Okorocha, than staking their fates on Isiala Mbano born Ohakim from Okigwe zone.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult now to decipher if Owerri zone would have assumed power easily had Ohakim won the 2011 election.
This is because, nobody could have predicted if Orlu would have supported Owerri zone to win the 2015 election, or if they would have propped up a candidate from another political party, as they did in 2011, through Okorocha under APGA.
However, there is no how the story of Okorocha’s emergence in 2011 could be complete without the mentioning the role Owerri people played inadvertently.
This is because, if an Orlu candidate did not emerge in any because Okorocha has much role to play on who becomes the Governor of Imo State as his successor.
However, since 1999, Owerri zone in 2015 had the clearest and greatest opportunity to produce a Governor of Imo State after Evan Enwerem’s brief stay.
That the PDP paraded an Owerri son, in the person of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as its candidate had the tacit approval from Orlu who had no alternative than to flow with the tide. But the caveat Orlu placed on Owerri was to watch how it plays its card.
Orlu also tried for Owerri by not presenting any Aspirant to vie for the PDP Governorship ticket, but instead left the coast clear for Owerri that paraded a legion of Aspirants.
Indeed, the PDP Governorship primary was tough, which was due to Okigwe’s son, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume whose presence in the race upped the ante for Owerri zone.
But with Ihedioha’s final confirmation by the PDP as its flag bearer, what Owerri needed was to put their acts together, by asking other candidates to cool their ambitions, knowing that with Okorocha as the incumbent and is from Orlu, fighting him with a divided house will cost Owerri the diadem. This apart from the fact that some PDP members from Orlu would surely have sympathy for their brother.
This scenario ought to have informed Owerri that there is no room for any atom of division so that every vote must not only count but be captured at least within Owerri zone.
But unfortunately, Captain Emma Iheanacho from Emekuku was hoisting APGA ticket, roughing the waters for PDP and Ihedioha. Ken Ojiri was in ACCORD, including Osmond Ukanaso of UPP. All operating within the Nine LGA’s in Owerri, while Okorocha alone has the Orlu twelve LGA’s to be shared with these people.
But the worst scenario was the sale-out by other LGAs in Owerri zone, leaving out only three LGAs from Mbaise; Ahiazu, Ezinihitte and Aboh.
Even Ngor Okpala which was supposed to be Ihedioha’s catchment area could not live up to expectation.
The feeling, even though many refuse to expose it, is that core Owerri refused to vote for Emeka Ihedioha because he comes from Mbaise land.
The argument was that had PDP fielded a candidate from Mbaitoli, Owerri Nshise, Ikeduru or Ngor Okpala, the party would have swept the polls.
Owerri has lost that opportunity, and I doubt if such chance could come that easy again. It was a shame that when Owerri which has been complaining about power marginalization at the Governorship stable got the chance, it bungled it on the altar of clannish chauvinism.
Had Ihedioha won that election, Owerri would have been the main beneficiaries. Okigwe and Orlu zones have not been the same since they had their sons on that hot seat. However, it remains to be seen if Ihedioha can redeem the situation through the court, which will make a final pronouncement on Imo Governorship election on October 29, which is next Thursday.
With this gang-up against Mbaise nation by their brothers in Owerri zone, which then is that anointed clan that would be allowed to produce that Governor for Owerri zone nay Imo State and Mbaise will fall along?
I cannot finish this piece without mentioning the likes of OZPOLF that was formed for Owerri Governorship agitation, only for the Group to go for personal ego and easy lucre when the appointed time came.
What of the top Owerri politicians who preferred other candidates than their brother? With the current political dichotomy ravaging Owerri zone as seen in the last election, I can only recall what late Sam Mbakwe told Ngor Okpala people when they voted for their son, Dr Basil Nnanne Ukaegbu of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party GNPP, during the Imo guber. “Ngor Okpala can only see clearly with the moon shining” Does this apply to Owerri zone in the case of the Governorship seat of Imo State?
